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THE 


AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR, 


A 


PRACTICAL   SYSTEM  FOR    HOME 
STUDY. 


c  CUpum,  ioUuiii,  yUcul 


ST.  PAUL,  Mix 
WM.   KENNEDY   PRINTING  CO. 
1898. 


V 


Copyright,  1898,  by 
G.  W.  READ. 


CONTENTS. 


Introduction 5 

I. 
General  Principles  of  the  System 8 

II. 
General  Description  of  the  System 13 

III. 
The  System  Applied 15 

IV. 

Formulating  Questions 40 

V. 

Memory  Training 44 

VI. 
Learning  a  Book  in  One  Reading 47 

VII. 

Extension  of  the  System 52 


.85164 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

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http://www.archive.org/details/automaticinstrucOOreadrich 


THE 

AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 


INTRODUCTION. 

Some  years  ago  I  was  very  anxious  to 
obtain  a  certain  appointment  to  be  made 
by  competitive  examination.  One  of  my 
friends  whom  I  consulted  about  the  matter 
and  who  had  previously  won  a  similar  ap- 
pointment, told  me  that  the  key  to  success 
in  a  competitive  examination  was  a  de- 
termination to  win,  and  that  with  such  a 
determination,  backed  by  persevering  and 
diligent  study,  failure  would  be  unlikely 
if  not  impossible. 

It  occurred  to  me  that  if  the  other  can- 
didates were  also  imbued  with  this  spirit 
of  determination,  success  would  fall  to  the 


6  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

one  who  was  most  earnest  and  careful  in 
his  preparation.  I  made  up  my  mind  no 
one  should  surpass  me  in  this  respect. 

After  studying  hard  for  a  week  or  more, 
I  became  discouraged.  My  progress  in  no 
sense  corresponded  with  the  efforts  I  was 
making.  This,  I  now  see  clearly,  was  due 
to  the  following  circumstances  : 

1.  I  had  been  out  of  school  for  a  long 
time  and  my  mind  had  lost  the  training 
acquired  by  the  habit  of  daily  study. 

2.  In  the  absence  of  an  instructor  to 
guide  them,  my  efforts  were  not  sufficiently 
systematic  and  the  actual  progress  made 
was  uncertain. 

3.  In  my  anxiety  for  thorough  prepara- 
tion in  a  limited  time  there  was  a  constant 
tendency  to  hurry  and  an  effort  to  learn 
more  in  one  day  than  the  mind  could  possi- 
bly assimilate. 

This  led  to  mental  fatigue  and  mind 
wandering.  I  often  became  conscious  of 
having  read  a  dozen  pages  or  more  while 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  7 

thinking  of  what  I  would  do  after  getting 
the  appointment  or  of  something  else  en- 
tirely foreign  to  the  contents  of  the  book. 

It  also  led  to  the  belief  that  my  mem- 
ory was  weak,  for  a  carefully  studied  lesson 
would  soon  become  confused  and  indis- 
tinct. The  conviction  that  I  was  wasting 
time  of  which  every  moment  was  precious 
led  to  a  careful  consideration  of  the  case 
and  to  the  discovery  of  a  system  so  simple, 
so  easy  of  application,  and  so  effective, 
that  I  was  able  to  learn  with  absolute 
thoroughness  the  various  subjects  to  be 
covered  by  the  examination. 

I  attribute  my  success  in  the  competitive 
examination,  and  in  obtaining  the  coveted 
appointment,  entirely  to  the  system  de- 
scribed in  the  following  pages.  While 
especially  adapted  to  use  in  preparing  for 
examinations,  it  is  believed  this  system  will 
be  found  of  value  by  anyone  pursuing  a 
course  of  study  or  reading  at  home,  with- 
out an  instructor. 

g.  w.  R. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR, 


GENERAL    PRINCIPLES    OF     THE 

SYSTEM. 


Every  practical  system  for  learning  a 
book  is  based  on  the  following  funda- 
mental principles  : 

a.  The  mind  must  be  concentrated 
upon  what  is  read. 

b.  An  analysis  must  be  made,  separat- 
ing the  essential  from  the  immaterial. 

c.  The  impression  produced  by  the 
essential  must  be  strong  enough  to  cause 
the  mind  to  retain  it,  or  the  original  im- 
pression must  be  sufficiently  strengthened. 

These  three  principles  may  be  sum- 
marized in  the  three  words. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  9 

a.  Concentration. 

b.  Analysis. 

c.  Retention. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  most  natural 
way  to  deepen  a  mental  impression  is  by 
repetition. 

If  part  of  a  lesson  is  perfectly  known, 
repetition  should  be  confined  to  the  part 
remaining  to  be  learned,  so  as  to  impress 
the  mind  most  strongly  with  that  which 
is  assimilated  most  slowly*  This  makes  it 
desirable  to  separate  the  parts  which  the 
mind  grasps  strongly  at  once  and  retains 
firmly  from  those  grasped  less  strongly  and 
retained  with  difficulty. 

After  the  learning  process  is  finished,  its 
thoroughness  should  be  tested  by  an  ex- 
amination; otherwise  one  cannot  be  sure 
of  having  accomplished  his  purpose. 

In  the  system  to  be  explained,  retention 
is  assured  by  : 

d.  Repetition. 

e.  Separation. 
/.     Examination. 


10  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

and   the  elements  of   the  system  may  be 
completely  classified  as  follows  : 

a.  Concentration. 

b.  Analysis. 

(  d.     Repetition. 

c.  Retention.  <  e.      Separation. 

( /.     Examination . 

Concentration  and  analysis  go  hand  in 
hand. 

Every  book  to  be  learned  is  made  up 
of  essential  points  usually  preceded  or 
followed,  or  both,  by  explanations  or  il- 
lustrations and  other  incidental  matter  in- 
tended to  elucidate  the  main  principle  or 
point.  The  salient  points  form  the  "  meat " 
or  substance  of  the  book,  and  when  the 
mind  has  grasped,  digested,  and  retained 
them,  the  book  is  learned.  After  being 
read  and  understood,  it  is  neither  neces- 
sary nor  desirable  to  burden  the  memory 
with  the  subordinate  matter,  which  is  only 
useful  in  helping  the  reader  to  understand 
the  main  points  and  in  impressing  them 
upon  his  mind. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  11 

Books  differ  greatly  in  regard  to  the 
relative  number  of  these  material  points. 
In  a  text-book,  for  example,  nearly  every 
sentence  will  contain  some  statement  or 
principle  necessary  to  be  learned  and  re- 
membered. In  popular  scientific  and  his- 
torical works,  the  illustrative  and  explana- 
tory matter  will  be  proportionally  greater, 
while  in  works  of  fiction  the  reader  may 
find  few,  if  any,  important  points  which 
he  will  care  to  learn  and  remember. 

In  a  text  book,  little  is  left  to  choice  in 
the  way  of  selecting  the  essential  points. 
They  follow  one  another  like  the  steps  of 
a  stairway  leading  from  ignorance  to 
knowledge  of  the  subject  treated. 

In  the  reading  of  popular  educational 
works,  and  works  of  fiction,  the  choice  of 
the  points  to  be  remembered  may  be 
affected  by  the  taste  or  special  object  of 
the  reader. 

But  whatever  the  book  read  or  studied, 
the  process  of  learning  it  will  consist  in  an 
analysis  of  the  contents  and  the  retention 


12  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

of  this  analysis  in  the  mind  of  the  reader 
or  student.  Without  concentration,  both 
analysis  and  retention  are  impossible ; 
without  analysis,  retention  is  impossible  ; 
without  retention,  reading  or  study  is  labor 
lost.  Hence,  all  these  are  necessary  to  the 
mastering  of  any  book. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  13 


II. 

GENERAL   DESCRIPTION  OF   THE 
SYSTEM. 


The  simplicity  of  the  system  referred 
to  in  the  Introduction  enables  it  to  be 
described  in  a  few  words  : 

The  first  step  consists  in  formulating 
questions  covering  every  point  of  im- 
portance in  the  text  and  in  writing  these 
questions  on  cards  or  slips  of  paper,  with 
the  number  of  the  card  and  a  reference  to 
the  place  where  the  answer  is  to  be  found. 

The  second  step  consists  in  taking  the 
cards  containing  the  questions  prepared 
during  the  first  half  of  the  daily  period 
available  for  study,  and   in   devoting  the 


14  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

second  half  of  this  period  to  answering 
these  questions  without  reference  to  the 
book.  Whenever  the  proper  answer  is  in 
doubt,  the  card  containing  the  question  is 
laid  aside  until  the  conclusion  of  the  first 
attempt  to  answer  all  the  questions.  Then 
the  answers  to  the  questions  on  all  cards 
which  have  been  so  laid  aside  are  looked 
up,  after  which  a  second  attempt  to  answer 
them  is  made  without  reference  to  the 
book,  laying  aside  as  before,  the  card  con- 
taining any  question  still  answered  doubt- 
fully. This  process  is  continued  until  all 
the  questions  prepared  can  be  promptly 
and  correctly  answered  without  reference 
to  the  book. 

The  third  and  final  step  consists  first,  in 
applying  the  process  described  in  the  pre- 
ceding paragraph  to  all  the  cards  pre- 
pared on  the  book  and  second,  in  applying 
the  same  process  after  thoroughly  shuffling 
the  cards. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  15 

+ 


III. 

THE  SYSTEM  APPLIED. 


When  the  essential  points  are  perfectly 
clear,  as  is  usually  the  case  in  a  text-book, 
the  application  of  the  system  is  very  simple. 
For  example,  suppose  it  is  desired  to  ac- 
quire a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  "  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States."  Take  the 
book  containing  the  Constitution,  a  pencil, 
and  a  number  of  cards  or  slips  of  paper 
of  uniform  size,  about  an  inch  and  a  half 
wide  by  four  inches  long. 

The  Constitution  consists  of  a  Preamble 
followed  by  a  number  of  Articles  divided 
into  Sections,  which,  in  turn,  are  divided 
into  Clauses.  Upon  reading  the  Preamble, 
it  is  seen  that  the  Constitution  was  adopted 


16  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

by  a  specified  people  for  certain  defined 
objects.  It  is  necessary  to  remember  by 
whom  it  was  adopted  and  for  what  pur- 
pose ;  therefore  take  one  of  the  cards, 
number  it  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner, 
and  write  a  question,  the  answer  to  which 
is  the  essential  point  to  be  learned.  Then 
place  a  reference  in  a  convenient  place  on 
the  card  showing  where  the  answer  is  to 
be  found.  Proceed  in  like  manner  with 
the  succeeding  Articles,  sections,  and 
clauses,  as  follows  : 

CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


We,  the  People  of  the  United  States,  in  order  to 
form  a  more  perfect  union,  establish  justice,  in- 
sure domestic  tranquillity,  provide  for  the  com- 
mon defense,  promote  the  general  welfare,  and 
secure  the  blessings  of  liberty  to  ourselves  and 
our  posterity,  do  ordain  and  establish  this  Con- 
stitution for  the  United  States  of  America. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  17 


(i) 

Constitution  U.  S.  Preamble. 

What  were  the  six  objects  of 
the  Constitution  ?  By  whom  was 
it  ordained  and  adopted  ? 


. 


Article  I.    Legislative  Department. 
Section    I.     All    legislative    powers    herein 
granted   shall   be  vested  in   a   Congress   of    the 
United  States,  which  shall  consist  of  a  Senate  and 
House  of  Representatives. 


(2) 
Constitution  IT.  S.  Article  I.  §  I. 

What  body  is  vested  with  the 
legislative  power  granted  by  the 
Constitution  ?  Of  what  does  this 
body  consist  ? 


18  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOE. 

Section  II.— Clause  1.  The  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives shall  be  composed  of  members  chosen 
every  second  year  by  the  people  of  the  several 
States,  and  the  electors  in  each  State  shall  have 
the  qualifications  requisite  for  electors  of  the 
most  numerous  branch  of  the  State  Legislature. 


Constitution  U.  S.  Article  I.  §  II. 
Clause  1. 

What  is  the  composition  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  ? 

What  qualifications  must  be 
possessed  by  the  electors  in  each 
State  ? 


Clause  2.  No  person  shall  be  a  representative 
who  shall  not  have  attained  to  the  age  of  twenty- 
five  years,  and  been  seven  years  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  and  who  shall  not,  when  elected, 
be  an  inhabitant  of  that  State  in  which  he  shall 
be  chosen. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  19 


(4) 

Constitution  U.  S.  Article  I.  § II. 
Clause  2. 

What  three  qualifications  must 
be  possessed  by  a  representative  ? 


Clause  3.  Representatives  and  direct  taxes 
shall  be  apportioned  among  the  several  States 
which  may  be  included  within  this  Union,  ac- 
cording to  their  respective  numbers,  which  shall 
be  determined  by  adding  to  the  whole  number  of 
free  persons,  including  those  bound  to  service 
for  a  term  of  years,  and  excluding  Indians  not 
taxed,  three-fifths  of  all  other  persons.  The  actual 
enumeration  shall  be  made  within  three  years 
after  the  first  meeting  of  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States,  and  within  every  subsequent  term 
of  ten  years,  in  such  manner  as  they  shall  by  law 
direct.  The  number  of  representatives  shall  not 
exceed  one  for  every  thirty  thousand,  but  each 
State  shall  have  at  least  one  representative ;  and 
until  such  enumeration  shall  be  made*  the  State 
of  New  Hampshire  shall  be  entitled  to  choose 
three ;  Massachusetts,  eight ;  Rhode  Island  and 


20  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

Providence  Plantations,  one  ;  Connecticut,  five  ; 
New  York,  six  ;  New  Jersey,  four ;  Pennsylvania, 
eight ;  Delaware,  one  ;  Maryland,  six ;  Virginia, 
ten  ;  North  Carolina,  five ;  South  Carolina,  five  ; 
and  Georgia,  three. 


(5) 

Constitution  U.  S.  Article  I.  §  II. 
Clause  3. 

How  are  representatives  ap- 
portioned among  the  several 
States  ? 

What  else  is  apportioned  on 
the  same  basis  ? 


(6) 

Constitution  U.  S.  Article  I.  §  II. 

Clause  3. 

In  the  apportionment  of  repre- 

sentatives how  are  the  "  respective 

numbers  "  in  a  State  determined? 

What  actual  enumerations  are 

provided  for  ? 

THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  21 


(?) 

Constitution  U.  S.  Article  I.  §  II. 
Clause  3. 

What  are  the  limits  of  the 
number  of  representatives  from 
each  State  ? 

How  many  members  had  the 
first  House  of  Representatives  ? 


Clause  4.  When  vacancies  happen  in  the 
representation  from  any  State  the  executive 
authority  thereof  shall  issue  writs  of  election  to 
fill  such  vacancies. 


(8) 

Constitution  IT.  S.  Article  ] 

.§11. 

Clause  4. 

When 

vacancies  happen 

in  the 

representation   from  any 

State, 

how  are 

they  filled  ? 

22  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

Clause  5.  The  House  of  Representatives  shall 
choose  their  Speaker  and  other  officers  ;  and  shall 
have  the  sole  power  of  impeachment. 


(9) 

Constitution  U.  S.  Article  I.  §  II. 
Clause  5. 

What  is  the  name  of  the  pre- 
siding officer  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  and  how  are  all 
officers  of  that  body  chosen  ? 
What  body  has  the  sole  power 
of  impeachment  ? 


Section  III.— Clause  1.  The  Senate  of  the 
United  States  shall  be  composed  of  two  Senators 
from  each  State,  chosen  by  the  legislature  there- 
of, for  six  years ;  and  each  senator  shall  have 
one  vote. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  23 


(10)     Constitution  XL  S.  Art.  I. 
§  III.    Clause  1. 

What  is  the  composition  of  the 
U.  S.  Senate  ? 

How  are  senators  chosen  ? 

For  how  long  ? 

How  many  votes  has  a  Senator  ? 


Clause  2.  Immediately  after  they  shall  be 
assembled  in  consequence  of  the  first  election, 
they  shall  be  divided  as  equally  as  may  be  into 
three  classes,  The  seats  of  the  senators  of  the 
first  class  shall  be  vacated  at  the  expiration  of 
the  second  year  ;  of  the  second  class  at  the  ex- 
piration of  the  fourth  year ;  and  of  the  third 
class,  at  the  expiration  of  the  sixth  year  ;  so  that 
one  third  may  be  chosen  every  second  year  ;  and 
if  vacancies  happen  by  resignation,  or  otherwise, 
during-  the  recess  of  the  Legislature  of  any  State, 
the  executive  thereof  may  make  temporary  ap- 
pointments until  the  next  meeting  of  the  Legis- 
lature, which  shall  then  fill  such  vacancies. 


24  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOK. 


(11)    ^Constitution  U.  S.  Art.  I. 
§  III.  Clause  2. 

Upon  assembling  after  the  first 
election,  how  were  the  senators 
to  be  classified  ? 

What  was  the  object  of  this 
classification  ? 


(12) 

Constitution    U.    S.    Article    I. 
§  III.  Clause  2, 

When  a  vacancy  in  the  Senate 
occurs  during  a  recess  of  the 
Legislature  of  any  State,  how  is 
it  filled  ? 


Clause  3.  No  person  shall  be  a  senator  who 
shall  not  have  attained  to  the  age  of  thirty  years, 
and  been  nine  years  a  citizen  of  the  United  States, 
and  who  shall  not,  when  elected,  be  an  inhabitant 
of  that  State  for  which  he  shall  be  chosen. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  25 


(13) 

Constitution    U.  S.   Article   I. 
§  III.     Clause  3. 

What  three  qualifications  must 
a  senator  possess  ? 


Clause  4.  The  Vice-President  of  the  United 
States  shall  be  president  of  the  Senate,  but  shall 
have  no  vote,  unless  they  be  equally  divided. 

Clause  5.  The  Senate  shall  choose  their  other 
officers,  and  also  a  president  pro  tempore,  in  the 
absence  of  the  Vice-President,  or  when  he  shall 
exercise  the  office  of  President  of  the  United 
States. 


26  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 


(14) 

Constitution  U.  S.  Article  I.  §  III. 
Clause  4  and  5. 

Who  is  president  of  the  Senate  ? 

How  are  the  other  officers 
chosen  ? 

When  and  how  is  a  president 
pro  tempore  chosen  ? 


Clause  6.  The  Senate  shall  have  the  sole  power 
to  try  all  impeachments  ;  when  sitting  for  that 
purpose  they  shall  be  on  oath  or  affirmation. 
When  the  President  of  the  United  States  is  tried, 
the  Chief  Justice  shall  preside  ;  and  no  person 
shall  be  convicted  without  the  concurrence  of 
two  thirds  of  the  members  present. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  27 


(15) 

Constitution  U.  S.  Article  I.  §  III. 
Clause  6. 

Where  does  the  sole  power  of 
trying  impeachment  rest  ?  Who 
presides  during  a  trial  of  the 
President  of  the  IT.  S.  ?  What 
is  essential  to  conviction  ? 


Clause  7.  Judgment  in  cases  of  impeachment 
shall  not  extend  further  than  to  removal  from 
office,  and  disqualification  to  hold  and  enjoy  any^ 
office  of  honor,  trust,  or  profit,  under  the  United 
States ;  but  the  party  convicted  shall  neverthe- 
less be  liable  and  subject  to  indictment,  trial, 
judgment,  and  punishment,  according-  to  law. 


28  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 


(16) 

Constitution    U.    S.    Article    I. 
§  III.     Clause  7. 

How  far  may  judgment  ex- 
tend in  cases  of  impeachment  ? 

Does  this  bar  further  proceed- 
ings and  subsequent  trial  and 
punishment  ? 


It  will  be  assumed  that  only  one  hour 
was  available  for  study  at  this  time  and 
that  half  an  hour  has  been  consumed  in 
formulating  these  questions  and  preparing 
the  sixteen  cards. 

Closing  the  book,  the  cards,  arranged  in 
a  pack  in  numerical  order,  are  taken  in 
hand,  and  an  effort  made  to  answer  the 
questions.  Whenever  the  questions  on  the 
top  card  can  be  answered  without  difficulty, 
that  card  is  shifted  to  the  bottom  of  the 
pack ;  but  whenever  a  question  is  met 
which  cannot  be  answered  without  hesita- 
tion, the  card  containing  it  is  laid  aside. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  29 

It  should  not  take  more  than  ten  minutes 
to  run  through  the  cards  in  the  manner 
described.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  it 
may  be  found  that  half  or  even  more  of 
the  cards  have  been  laid  aside  because  of 
an  uncertainty  as  to  the  proper  answer  to 
some  question,  or  entire  inability  to  answer 
it. 

These  cards  are  now  taken  and  the  cor- 
rect answers  looked  up  in  the  place  in- 
dicated by  the  reference.  The  book  is 
then  closed  again,  and  another  effort  made 
to  give  the  correct  answers  to  these  ques- 
tions. Should  any  answer  be  still  doubt- 
ful, the  card  containing  the  question  is 
laid  aside  as  before,  and  this  process  con- 
tinued until  all  the  questions  have  been 
correctly  answered. 

If  any  time  remains,  all  the  cards  may 
be  gone  over  again,  which  should  not  take 
more  than  five  minutes. 

Finally,  the  cards  are  arranged  in  nu- 
merical order  and  fastened  together  by  a 
rubber  band. 


30  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

The  next  time  study  is  resumed,  pro- 
ceed in  a  similar  manner  and  continue  from 
day  to  day  until  the  entire  Constitution  has 
been  studied. 

The  cards  prepared  will  now  number 
about  a  hundred.  The  next  step  is  to  take 
all  these  cards,  arranged  in  a  pack  in  nu- 
merical order,  and  go  over  them  as  de- 
scribed in  the  case  of  the  first  sixteen,  being 
careful  to  lay  aside  every  card  containing 
a  question  not  answered  with  readiness  and 
ease. 

The  answers  to  these  questions  are  then 
to  be  looked  up  as  before  described,  and 
the  process  continued  until  every  question 
has  been  answered  without  hesitation. 

Finally,  the  cards  are  to  be  thoroughly 
shuffled,  so  as  to  arrange  them  in  hap- 
hazard order,  and  are  then  to  be  gone 
over  as  before. 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  process,  the 
student,  no  matter  how  mediocre  his 
natural  ability,  will  be  able  to  pass  a 
perfect  examination  on  the   Constitution. 


■awr* 


ElUUTT 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  81 

Moreover  tlie  learning  process  will  have 
been  at  all  times  easy  and  pleasant.  The 
time  consumed  will  not  have  been  great  in 
proportion  to  the  results  obtained.  If  the 
same  number  of  hours  had  been  devoted 
to  reading  the  Constitution  over  and  over 
again,  no  matter  how  carefully,  the  know- 
ledge acquired  would  have  been  incom- 
parably less  complete  than  that  resulting 
from  the  application  of  this  system. 

If  it  is  desired  to  review  the  subject  at 
any  future  time,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
take  the  cards  originally  prepared  and  go 
over  them  as  indicated  The  entire  sub- 
ject can  thus  be  thoroughly  reviewed  in  a 
fraction  of  the  time  required  by  any  other 
method. 

It  will  be  observed  that  in  preparing 
the  questions  the  mind  is  necessarily  con- 
centrated on  the  material  points.  The  pro- 
cess is  mechanical.  No  effort  whatever  is 
required  to  prevent  mind  wandering. 

The  preparation  of  the  questions  also 
requires  a  mental  analysis  of  the  subject. 


32  THE  AUTOMATIC  iKSTKUCTOft, 

Take  clause  3  of  Section  II,  for  example. 
A  careful  reading  shows  the  essential 
points  to  be  : 

1.  The  manner  of  apportioning  repre- 
sentatives in  Congress  among  the  several 
States. 

2.  The  manner  of  apportioning  direct 
taxes  among  the  several  States. 

3.  The  manner  in  which  the  respective 
numbers  in  the  several  States  shall  be  de- 
termined as  a  basis  for  representation  and 
direct  taxes. 

4.  The  actual  enumerations  to  be  made 
and  the  manner  of  making  them. 

5.  The  maximum  and  minimum  num- 
ber of  representatives  from  any  State. 

6.  The  designation  of  the  numbers  of 
representatives  to  which  each  of  the  orig- 
inal States  was  to  be  entitled  prior  to  the 
taking  of  the  first  census. 

The  last   point   might   be   covered   by 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  33 

questions  to  bring  out  the  number  of  rep- 
resentatives allowed  each  State,  but  it 
would  be  useless  to  burden  the  memory 
with  such  details.  It  should  be  quite 
sufficient  to  know  the  total  membership  of 
the  first  House  of  Representatives. 

In  a  similiar  way  a  mental  analysis  is 
made  every  time  a  question  is  prepared, 
and  the  essential  point  is  emphasized  by 
writing  the  question  on  the  card. 

This  concentration  and  analysis,  in  them- 
selves, strongly  impress  the  essential  points 
on  the  mind. 

Answering  the  questions  on  the  cards  is 
the  repetition  necessary  to  retention. 

Laying  aside  the  cards  containing  ques- 
tions which  cannot  be  answered  is  the 
separation  of  the  unknown  from  the  known. 

Looking  up  the  correct  answers  to  only 
those  questions  which  could  not  be  an- 
swered, impresses  the  mind  strongly  with 
whatever  remains  to  be  learned. 

Finally,  going  over  all  the  cards,  ar- 
ranged first  in  numerical  and  then  in  hap- 


84  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

hazard  order,  is  both  a  general  review  of 
the  subject  and  the  examination  necessary 
to  assure  the  student  of  his  thorough  know- 
ledge thereof. 

As  another  illustration  of  the  use  of  the 
System  let  us  take  "  Algebra,"  a  repre- 
sentative  text-book    of    the    conventional 

type.  

Chapter  I.* 

1.  Quantity  and  Number.  Whatever  may  be 
regarded  as  being-  made  up  of  parts  like  the 
whole  is  called  a  quantity. 

In  other  words  whatever  admits  of  division 
into  parts  all  the  same  in  kind  as  the  whole,  is  a 
quantity. 

To  measure  a  quantity  of  any  kind  is  to  find 
how  many  times  it  contains  another  known 
quantity  of  the  same  kind. 

A  known  quantity  which  is  adopted  as  a  stan- 
dard for  measuring  quantities  of  the  same  kind 
is  called  a  unit. 

Thus  the  foot,  the  pound,  the  dollar,  the  day, 
are  units  for  measuring  distance,  weight,  money, 
time. 

A  number  arises  from  the  repetitions  of  the 
unit  of  measure,  and  show  how  many  times  the 
unit  is  contained  in  the  quantity  measured. 

*  From  Wentworth's  College  Algebra. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  35 

Concentrating  the  mind  upon  this  para- 
graph and  analyzing  it,  the  essential 
points  may  be  covered  by  the  following 
questions. 


(1) 


P.  1.     Par.  1. 


What  is  quantity  ? 

How  is  quantity  measured  ? 

What  is  a  unit  ? 

What  is  a  number  ? 


Proceeding  in  like  manner,  we  have 

Par.  2.  When  a  quantity  is  measured,  the 
result  obtained  is  expressed  by  prefixing-  to  the 
name  of  the  unit  the  number  which  shows  how 
many  times  the  unit  is  contained  in  the  quantity 
measured. 

The  result  is  called  the  measure  of  the 
quantity.  The  number  which  shows  how  many 
times  the  unit  is  taken  is  called  the  numerical 
measure  of  the  quantity. 

Thus  7  feet,  8  pounds,  are  respectively  mea- 
sures of  distance  and  weight;  the  numerical 
measures  being  respectively  7  and  8. 


36  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR 


(2) 

P.  2     Par.  2. 

How  is  the  result  obtained  by 
measuring  a  quantity  expressed  ? 

What  is  this  result  called  ? 

What  is  the  numerical  measure 
of  a  quantity  ? 


Par.  3.  For  convenience,  numbers  are  repre- 
sented by  symbols.  In  arithmetic  the  symbols 
0, 1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  and  combinations  of  these 
symbols,  are    embloyed    to    represent  numbers. 

The  series  0,  1,  2,  3,   ,  obtained  by  counting 

is  called  the  natural  series  of  numbers. 

Any  figure  or  combination  of  figures  repre- 
sents one,  and  but  one,  particular  number. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTKUCTOR.  37 


(3) 

P. 

2.     Par. 

3. 

How  are 

numbers 

represented 

for  convenience  ? 

What  is 

the  natural  series  of 

numbers  ? 

Par.  4.  Numbers  in  General.  Numbers  pos- 
sess many  general  properties,  which  are  true, 
not  only  of  a  particular  number  but  of  all 
numbers. 

For  example,  the  sum  of  12  and  8  is  20,  and  the 
difference  between  12  and  8  is  4.  Their  sum  added 
to  their  difference  is  24,  which  is  twice  the  greater 
number.  Their  difference  taken  from  their  sum 
is  16,  which  is  twice  the  smaller  number. 

We  shall  see  later  on  that  these  are  general 
properties  of  numbers,  viz  : 

The  sum  of  two  numbers  added  to  their 
difference  is  twice  the  greater  number ;  the 
difference  of  two  numbers  taken  from  their  sum 
is  twice  the  smaller  number.    Or, 

(1)  (greater  number  -f  smaller  number)  -f 
(greater  number  —  smaller  number)  =  twice 
greater  number. 


38  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

(2)  (greater  number  +  smaller  number)  — 
(greater  number  —  smaller  number)  =  twice 
smaller  number. 

But  these  statements  may  be  very  much 
shortened;  for,  as  greater  number  and  smaller 
number  may  mean  any  two  numbers,  two  letters, 
as  a  and  b,  may  be  used  to  represent  them  ;  then 
2a  will  represent  twice  the  greater  number,  and 
2b  twice  the  smaller.  Then  these  statements 
become  : 

(1)  (a  +  b)  +  (a  -  b)  =  2a. 

(2)  (a  +  b)  —  (a  —  b)  =  2b. 

In  studying  the  general  properties  of  num- 
bers, letters  used  to  represent  numbers  may 
represent  any  numerical  values  consistent  with 
the  condition  of  the  problem. 


(4) 

P. 

2.      Par.  4. 

What 

is 

meant  by    4 

L  general 

properties" 

of  numbers  ? 

THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  39 


(5) 

P.  2.     par.  4. 

Give  example  of  general 
properties  of  numbers  based 
upon  relation  between  sum  and 
difference  of  two  numbers,  and 
express  the  statement  of  the 
general  property  in  three  ways  ? 


(6) 

P.  2.     Par.  4. 

In  studing  the  general  proper- 
ties of  numbers,  what  numerical 
values  may  be  represented  by  the 
letters  used  to  represent  numbers  ? 


40  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 


IV. 
FORMULATING   QUESTIONS. 


The  value  to  the  student  of  a  series  of 
questions  carefully  prepared  to  cover  the 
essential  points  of  a  subject  is  fully  recog- 
nized by  authors  of  text  books.  A  list  of 
such  questions  is  not  infrequently  found 
at  the  bottom  of  each  page,  or  at  the  end 
of  each  chapter,  or  sometimes  at  the  end 
of  the  book.  As  a  rule,  the  questions  are 
intended  more  for  the  use  of  the  student 
than  for  the  teacher,  and  the  object  is 
evidently  to  emphasize  the  points  essential 
to  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  book. 

In  the  class-room,  questions  are  used  to 
bring  out  the  important  points  of  the  lesson 
quite   as   much   as   to   test   the   student's 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  41 

knowledge.  A  lecture  is  often  closed  by 
a  M  quiz."  In  examinations  of  all  kinds 
the  student's  knowledge  is  more  often 
tested  by  questions  than  in  any  other  way. 

These  questions  are  prepared  by  author 
or  instructor.  Perhaps  the  most  important 
step  in  the  system  herein  described  is  the 
preparation  of  an  exhaustive  series  of  ques- 
tions by  the  student.  In  the  framing  of 
these  questions,  the  important  points  of 
the  book  are  introduced  to  the  mind  of  the 
student  individually  and  the  acquaintance 
is  cemented  and  catalogued  by  the  process 
of  writing  the  question  and  the  reference 
on  the  card. 

Should  the  system  be  applied  to  a  book 
containing  questions  already  prepared, 
those  of  the  author  should  not  be  used 
until  after  the  student's  own  questions 
have  been  formulated.  The  latter  may 
then  be  compared  with  the  former,  and 
modified,  if  by  so  doing  they  will  be  im- 
proved. 

In  certain  text-books,    especially  those 


42  THE  AUTOMATIC   I^STRUCTOE. 

pertaining  to  mathematics,  pure  or  applied T 
the  demonstration  of  theorems  and  the  solu- 
tion of  problems  are  most  important.  The 
solution  of  problems  is  merely  an  adjunct 
to  the  system  herein  described,  but  should 
never  be  neglected  by  the  student.  After 
he  has  solved  all  the  problems,  one  or 
more  of  them  should  be  selected  and  copied 
on  a  card  as  in  the  case  of  the  questions, 
to  be  solved  during  the  reviews  and  ex- 
aminations prescribed. 

A  theorem  to  be  demonstrated  presents 
no  difficulty.  Take  for  example  the  fol- 
lowing : 

PROPOSITION  XVII.    THEOREM.* 

In  any  triangle,  the  straight  line  which  bisects 
the  angle  at  the  vertex,  divides  the  base  into  two 
segments  proportional  to  the  adjacent  sides. 


*  Davies'  Legendre. 


■JMfe 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUC1 


(105) 
Proposition  XVII.     Book  IV. 

How  is  the  base  of  any  triangle 
divided  by  the  straight  line  which 
bisects  the  angle  at  the  vertex  ? 

Demonstrate. 


Here  the  answer  to  the  question  is  the 
theorem  to  be  demonstrated,  and  a  know- 
ledge of  the  subject  requires  the  ability  to 
make  the  demonstration. 

Whenever  a  rule  is  covered  by  a  ques- 
tion, the  question  should  be  followed  by 
"  Why  V\  and  the  student  should  invari- 
ably be  able  to  give  the  reason. 

In  the  study  of  languages,  this  system 
is  chiefly  valuable  in  learning  the  prin- 
ciples and  rules  ;  the  exercises  of  course 
must  be  worked  out  separately  ;  but,  as 
in  the  case  of  the  problems,  it  is  well  to 
make  out  occasional  cards  containing  parts 
of  exercises  suitable  as  illustrations. 


44  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 


V. 
MEMORY  TRAINING. 


It  is  claimed  that  this  system  trains  the 
memory  by  the  most  natural  and  therefore 
the  most  logical  of  processes.  Weak  mem  - 
ory  results  from  the  inaptitude  of  the  mind 
to  receive  strong  impressions  in  ordinary 
cases. 

The  remedy  is  evidently  either  the  re- 
moval of  this  inaptitude,  or  a  means  of 
making  the  impression  strong  enough  to 
be  retained.  The  oftener  a  mental  pro- 
cess is  repeated,  the  easier  it  becomes,  and 
therefore  the  use  of  a  device  for  making 
an  impression  strong  enough  to  insure  its 
retention  by  the  mind  will  gradually  re- 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  45 

move  the  inaptitude  of  the  mind  to  receive 
such  an  impression. 

If  we  may  be  pardoned  for  comparing 
the  mind  of  a  person  possessing  a  weak 
memory  to  a  block  of  wood,  the  operation 
of  this  system  may  be  likened  to  driving 
a  nail  into  this  block.  Formulating  and 
writing  a  question  corresponds  to  the  start- 
ing of  the  nail  ;  each  successive  effort  to 
answer  the  question  corresponds  to  the 
effect  produced  by  the  blow  of  a  hammer 
on  the  nail,  which  by  repeated  blows  may 
be  driven  to  its  head. 

Painstaking  effort  in  the  application  of 
this  system  cannot  fail  to  greatly  improve 
a  weak  memory.  Page  after  page  of  a 
book  may  be  read  without  producing  a 
lasting  impression  ;  but  a  question  cannot 
be  formulated  and  written  down  without 
leaving  an  impression  of  the  point  it 
covers,  and  by  repetition  and  separation  the 
first  impressions  are  necessarily  deepened. 
That  which  has  been  learned  and  remem- 
bered is  filed  away  in  the  mind  to  be  pro- 


46  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

duced  when  required  ;  while  that  which  is 
still  imperfectly  known  is  studied  and  re- 
studied  until  it  also  is  learned,  remem- 
bered, and  filed  away. 

Concentration  of  the  mind  and  analysis 
of  the  subject  are  prerequisites  in  any 
system  of  memory  training.  The  only 
other  element  of  such  a  system  is  a  device 
for  insuring  retention.  All  such  devices 
are  primarily  based  upon  repetition.  The 
system  herein  described,  since  it  covers  all 
these  essentials,  and  insures  concentration , 
analysis,  and  retention,  cannot  fail  to  train 
the  memory  and  the  mind  of  the  student 
who  applies  it  conscientiously.  It  is  the 
simplest  and  most  natural  system  for  train- 
ing the  memory,  and  is  therefore  believed 
to  surpass  in  the  excellence  of  its  results, 
the  more  confusing  and  complex  systems 
for  accomplishing  the  same  result. 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  47 


VI. 

LEARNING  A  BOOK  IN  ONE 
READING. 


The  statement  that  a  book  may  be 
learned  in  one  reading  might  properly  be 
questioned  if  no  explanation  were  made  of 
its  exact  meaning. 

The  manner  in  which  a  book  is  to  be 
learned  depends  upon  the  object  of  the 
reader.  If  this  is  to  prepare  for  an  ex- 
haustive examination,  great  attention  must 
be  paid  to  every  point  of  importance. 
But  the  object  in  general  reading  is  to 
obtain  a  general  knowledge  and  the 
reader  is  at  liberty  to  choose  the  points  to 
be    specially   remembered.     Moreover    in 


48  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

general  reading,  many  of  the  important 
statements  in  the  book  are  often  already 
known  to  the  reader,  having  been  met  with 
and  learned  elsewhere.  When  this  is  the 
case,  there  is  a  corresponding  reduction  in 
the  amount  remaining  to  be  learned. 

It  is  evident  that  good  judgment  is  re- 
quired in  determining  the  salient  points 
of  a  book.  Perhaps  no  two  readers  would 
agree  as  to  what  is  absolutely  essential. 
A  distinguished  scholar  would  no  doubt 
reject  much  that  would  be  regarded  as 
material  by  a  beginner. 

To  be  of  maximum  value,  a  system  for 
learning  a  book  in  one  reading  should  be 
adapted  to  the  use  of  those  who  are  most 
in  need  of  assistance. 

The  system  hereinbefore  described,  while 
suited  to  beginners  becomes  more  and  more 
valuable  the  oftener  it  is  used  and  trains 
the  mind  automatically  to  grasp  the  ma- 
terial and  reject  the  immaterial. 

A  novel  is  perhaps  most  thoroughly  en- 
joyed when    a  reader  sits  in  a  capacious 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  49 

arm  chair  by  an  open  fire  or  lazily  reclines 
on  a  comfortable  couch.  Such  reading,  if 
too  frequently  indulged  in,  is  a  mental 
dissipation.  The  impressions  on  the  mind 
are  light  and  evanescent.  No  effort  need 
be  made  to  deepen  or  retain  them,  for  as  a 
rule  it  is  of  no  importance  to  remember 
what  is  read. 

Books  worth  learning  are  frequently 
read  in  the  same  way,  and  the  mental  im- 
pressions produced  are  like  u  foot-prints 
in  the  sand."  It  would  be  palpably 
absurd  to  claim  that  any  system  could  be 
devised  for  learning  a  book  in  one  such 
reading. 

But  when  a  profound  student  takes  up 
a  treatise  on  some  subject  in  which  he  is 
deeply  interested,  his  mind  gathers  the 
salient  points  as  a  powerful  magnet  draws 
particles  of  steel  from  a  mass  of  chaff. 
Such  a  student  has  no  difficulty  in  learn- 
ing such  a  book  in  one  reading.  He  un- 
consciously applies  the  essential  and  funda- 
mental principles  on  which  must  be  based 


50  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 

any  practical  system  for  accomplishing  a 
similar  result.  These  are  the  principles  of 
the  system  hereinbefore  outlined.  In  this 
case  the  mind  of  the  student  is  trained  and 
retention  is  assured  by  the  strength  of  the 
original  impression. 

In  this  kind  of  reading,  the  analysis 
consists  in  determining  the  essential  points 
which  the  reader  considers  it  necessary  or 
desirable  to  remember.  Upon  coming  to 
such  a  point,  if  it  is  not  already  known  to 
him,  he  should  formulate  a  question  cover- 
ing it,  and  write  the  question  and  reference 
on  a  card  in  the  usual  way.  This  should 
be  repeated  whenever  such  a  point  is  en- 
countered. 

Jhe  mental  impressions  produced  by  this 
process  may  or  may  not  be  sufficiently 
strong  to  enable  the  reader  upon  finishing 
the  book  to  answer  all  the  questions  pre- 
pared. If  not,  the  device  for  deepening 
the  impressions  is  ready  for  use  and  easy 
of  application. 

With  practice  the  necessity  for  the  use 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  51 

of  this  device  will  gradually  cease  ;  but  it 
will  be  an  a  advantage  to  have  the  cards 
always  at  hand  for  reviewing  the  book  at 
any  future  tpner  It  is  evident  that  such  a 
review  can  be  most  quickly  and  thoroughly 
made. 

If  it  is  objected  that  this  is  not  an  in- 
fallible system  for  learning  a  book  in  one 
reading,  it  may  very  truthfully  be  said  that 
it  is  as  nearly  infallible  as  any  other  system 
proposed  for  accomplishing  such  a  result, 
and  that  it  is  unquestionably  the  simplest 
of  them  all. 

The  preparation  of  the  questions  ne- 
cessitates the  making  of  a  mental  abstract 
of  the  subject,  and  the  device  for  learning 
and  remembering  this  abstract  is'  incom- 
parably simpler  and  quite  as  efficacious  as 
any  of  the  complex  mnemonic  systems 
sometimes  recommended  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. 


52  THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR. 


VII. 
EXTENSION  OF  THE  SYSTEM. 


The  accumulation  of  information  upon 
a  special  subject  from  any  number  of 
different  sources  is  easily  and  completely 
effected  by  using  this  system.  For  ex- 
ample, suppose  a  student  is  specially  in- 
terested in  a  particular  subject.  In  his  gen- 
eral reading,  he  will  frequently  be  struck  by 
some  statement  bearing  on  this  speciality. 
This  may  be  an  essential  point  also  of  the 
book  or  article  which  is  being  read,  or  it 
may  be  merely  an  example  illustrating 
such  a  point. 

In  the  former  case  write  the  question 
covering  the  statement,  with  the  proper 
references,  on  two  cards,  one  of  which  is 


THE  AUTOMATIC  INSTRUCTOR.  53 

to  be  kept  with  those  pertaining  to  the 
book  itself,  while  the  other  is  to  be  filed 
under  the  particular  subject  to  which  it 
pertains.  In  the  latter  case,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  make  out  one  card  for  file. 

It  will  sometimes  be  practicable  and 
advantageous  to  write  the  answer  on  the 
back  of  the  card. 

In  this  way  interesting  facts  relating 
to  any  number  of  special  subjects  may  be 
accumulated  and  filed  in  the  course  of 
general  reading ;  the  cards  containing  the 
questions  and  references  being  placed  in 
envelopes  or  pigeon-holes  marked  with 
the  title  of  the  special  subject. 


THE  WAI\N0CK  UNIFORM  Co. 

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TELEPHONE  1000  ESB'aW. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
BERKELEY 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 

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NOV  3 


13  1C2? 


^JTnTI 


SEP12'69.2PM 

LOAN  DEPT. 


50w-7,'16 


e«F_ 


9K^,/'" 


